Organizations such as businesses, government agencies, schools, etc. may employ dedicated communications systems (also referred to herein as “networks”) that enable computers, servers, printers, facsimile machines, telephones, security cameras and the like to communicate with each other, through a private network, and with remote locations via a telecommunications service provider. Such communications systems may be hard-wired through, for example, the walls and/or ceilings of a building using communications cables and connectors. The communications cables may include insulated conductors such as copper wires that are arranged as twisted pairs of conductors. Individual communications connectors (which are also referred to herein as “connector ports” and/or as “outlets”) such as RJ-45 style modular wall jacks are mounted in offices, conference rooms and other work areas throughout the building. The communications cables and any intervening connectors provide communications paths from the connector ports in offices and other rooms, hallways and common areas of the building (which are also referred to herein as “work area outlets”) to network equipment (e.g., network switches, servers, etc.) that may be located in a computer room, telecommunications closet or the like. Communications cables from external telecommunication service providers may also terminate within the computer room or telecommunications closet.
In conductive wire-based communications systems, each information signal may be transmitted over a pair of conductors using differential signaling techniques rather than over a single conductor. Differential signaling involves transmitting signals on each conductor of the differential pair at equal magnitudes and opposite phases. An information signal is embedded as the voltage difference between the signals carried on the two conductors of the pair.
The conductive wire-based communication systems that are installed in both office buildings and data centers may use RJ-45 plugs and jacks to ensure industry-wide compatibility. Pursuant to certain industry standards (e.g., the TIA/EIA-568-B.2-1 standard approved Jun. 20, 2002 by the Telecommunications Industry Association), the eight conductors in RJ-45 plug and jack connectors are aligned in a row in the connection region where the contacts of the plug mate with the contacts of the jack. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the front portion of an RJ-45 jack that illustrates the pair arrangement and positions of the eight conductors in this connection region that are specified in the type B configuration of the TIA/EIA-568-B.2-1 standard. As shown in FIG. 1, under the TIA/EIA-568 type B configuration, conductors 4 and 5 comprise differential pair 1, conductors 1 and 2 comprise differential pair 2, conductors 3 and 6 comprise differential pair 3, and conductors 7 and 8 comprise differential pair 4.
The communications cables that are connected to end devices (e.g., network servers, memory storage devices, network switches, work area computers, printers, facsimile machines, telephones, etc.) in communication systems may terminate into one or more communications patching systems. The communications patching systems may involve connectivity changes over time. The connections between the end devices and the network switches may need to be changed for a variety of reasons, including equipment changes, adding or deleting users, office moves, etc. A network manager may implement connectivity changes by simply unplugging one end of a patch cord or other communication cable from a first connector port on one of a set of patch panels and plugging that end of the patch cord into a second connector port on one of the patch panels.
The connectivity between the connector ports on the network switches and the work area outlets may be recorded in a computer-based log. Each time patching changes are made, this computer-based log is updated to reflect the new patching connections. Technicians may neglect to update the log each time a change is made, and/or may make errors in logging changes. As such, the logs may not be complete and/or accurate.
Systems and method are desirable to reduce or eliminate such logging errors or otherwise determine the connectivity of passive components in a network.